The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Orange County has risen four cents from last week, continuing to creep toward the county’s June 2008 record price of $4.598.

The increase pushed the Orange County average to $4.254, 19.6 cents above what it was one month ago, and $1.141 greater than one year ago.

“Gas prices are going up a little faster now,” said Marie Montgomery, a spokeswoman with the Automobile Club of Southern California.

During the past two weeks, gas prices increased by a cent and a half, Montgomery said.

Nationwide, the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline has increased by nine cents a week and is now at $3.95, Montgomery added.

Although the state’s average price of gasoline rose 10.4 percent in January to $3.39 a gallon, gasoline consumption increased 2.7 percent as residents used 1.2 billion gallons – compared with 1.17 billion gallons the same month last year, when the state’s gasoline prices averaged $3.07 per gallon, according to figures released Monday by the state Board of Equalization.

Here in Orange County, gas prices began to really spike during the first week of February, Montgomery said.

During the last week of January, the price of unleaded gas was at $3.346. Once February hit, prices were at $3.380 and continued to increase from there.

The cheapest gas in the county can be found for $4.09, at the 76 station at 260 S. Euclid St., at Broadway, in Anaheim, according to orangecountygasprices.com, a website that allows users to track local gas prices.

The most expensive gas goes for $4.57, at the Chevron station at 26988 Ortega Highway, at Del Obispo Street, in San Juan Capistrano, according to the site.

Alejandra Molina writes about immigration, race, and religion for the Southern California News Group. In her decade-long career, she has reported how gentrification has affected downtown Santa Ana, how racism contributes the high black infant death rate, and how President Donald Trump is impacting undocumented communities across Southern California.

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